Dose of Vitamin P

Dose of Vitamin P: Superba Snack Bar Cold Cuts

Jason Neroni continues to dial in the food at Venice’s stylish Superba Snack Bar, and that includes some powerhouse Cold Cuts to start culinary proceedings. Originally, he served a series of Mason jars, and the presentation is now more impressive, with a maximum of four selections ($34) gracing a decorative wood plank, served with toast. Yes, they have a thick slab of chicken liver mousse, made using Neroni’s foie grass mousse recipe, that sports a layer of black pepper strawberry gelee, but since this is Dose of Vitamin, let’s focus on pork.

Neroni crafts pastrami from coppa di testa, curing the pig face charcuterie like pastrami and layering glistening slices on crusty rye bread. Pate de campagne is a firm terrine wrapped in bacon that’s served cool, topped with tangy pickled mustard seeds. Still, it’s the smoked braised bacon that delivers the biggest impact. Two thick slabs are cherry wood-smoked and served warm, with rich flavor and delectable fat run-off that bleeds off the wood plank. Italian-inspired apricot mustardo attempts to tame the bacon’s savory intensity, to moderate effect. The bacon apparently factors into a BLT that would pretty much have to be one of the L.A.’s best.

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Comments

Glad to hear Clementine’s BLT tops your list, but not surprised. When tomatoes are in season, it is a glorious thing indeed. But these are different experiences: I’d be hard-pressed to choose between the two. Clementine’s is a sterling classic BLT experience complete with juice running down your elbow. Jason’s is an intense personal expression of that standard that critically keeps within fair bounds: it’s Clementine’s pushed to 12 on the dial. Not necessarily better, but more into less space, and with a bit of his heart.